Benni McCarthy

Date of birth12 November 1977
Place of birthCape Town
NationalitySouth African
Weight76 kg
Height1.82 m
PositionForward

Began his career in the domestic league with Seven Stars before moving to Ajax for 1997-98 season.

He made his international debut in June 1997 against Holland.

He established his reputation in the African Nations' Cup finals the following year, netting four goals against Namibia and seven in total as South Africa went on to finish runners-up.

He made the squad for the 1998 World Cup finals, scoring in the 1-1 draw with Denmark, but later opted out of the international scene in an attempt to establish himself at Ajax.

Benni scored regularly in his spell at Ajax but has not always been able to gain a regular place in the starting line-up and switched Celta Vigo for the start of 1999-2000 season.

He again failed to establish a place in the first team and an attempted move to the Premiership with Middlesbrough in September 2001 failed as he was refused a work permit.

He left Celta Vigo on loan to FC Porto in Portugal in December 2001 hoping to make the move a permanent one at the end of the season.

Despite his woes at club level, he has an excellent record at international level and he did return for them in the qualifying competition and the African Nations' Cup Finals in Mali.

Benni scored in South Africa's final game in the 2002 World Cup finals - a 3-2 defeat by Spain.

He joined Blackburn Rovers in July 2006 with a four-year contract that was extended to June 2011 in April 2008.

Benni joined West Ham United in February 2010 with a contract to June 2012 that was cancelled in April 2011.

Club history

Team Joined Left Loan / Trialist
Seven Stars 01 Jul 1995 01 Jul 1997
Ajax 01 Jul 1997 01 Jul 1999
Celta Vigo 01 Jul 1999 01 Jul 2003
FC Porto 01 Dec 2001 31 May 2002 L
FC Porto 01 Jul 2003 28 Jul 2006
Blackburn Rovers 28 Jul 2006 01 Feb 2010
West Ham United 01 Feb 2010 13 Apr 2011
Orlando Pirates 02 Aug 2011

Club stats

Season Team Competition Apps Subs Goals Y R
2000-01 Celta Vigo Primera Liga 8
10
2
2000-01 Celta Vigo UEFA Cup 5
1
1
2000-01 Celta Vigo UEFA Intertoto Cup 2
3
2001-02 Celta Vigo Primera Liga
2
2001-02 Celta Vigo UEFA Cup 2
1
1
2002-03 Celta Vigo Primera Liga 2
12
2
1
1
2002-03 Celta Vigo UEFA Cup 1
3
2
2003-04 FC Porto UEFA Champions League 6
3
2
1
2003-04 FC Porto UEFA Super Cup 1
2004-05 FC Porto UEFA Champions League 1
1
2
2006-07 Blackburn Rovers FA Cup 3
2
3
2
2006-07 Blackburn Rovers League Cup 1
2006-07 Blackburn Rovers Premier League 36
18
9
2006-07 Blackburn Rovers UEFA Cup 7
1
3
1
2007-08 Blackburn Rovers FA Cup 1
2007-08 Blackburn Rovers League Cup 1
1
1
2007-08 Blackburn Rovers Premier League 21
10
8
1
2007-08 Blackburn Rovers UEFA Cup 1
1
2007-08 Blackburn Rovers UEFA Intertoto Cup 2
2
1
2008-09 Blackburn Rovers FA Cup 2
2
1
2008-09 Blackburn Rovers League Cup
1
2
2008-09 Blackburn Rovers Premier League 18
10
10
4
1
2009-10 Blackburn Rovers League Cup 3
2
3
1
2009-10 Blackburn Rovers Premier League 7
7
1
2
2009-10 West Ham United Premier League 2
3
2010-11 West Ham United League Cup 1
2
2010-11 West Ham United Premier League
6


Please note: Career stats are based on performances in the Premier and Football Leagues and (in most cases all) internationals.

Club matches

Date Match Result Competition Round
26 Jul 2000 Celta Vigo v Aston Villa W 1-0 Intertoto Cup Semi-final 1st leg
02 Aug 2000 Aston Villa v Celta Vigo W 1-2
Agg: 1-3
Intertoto Cup Semi-final 2nd leg
28 Sep 2000 NK Rijeka v Celta Vigo W 0-1
Agg: 0-1
UEFA Cup 1st round 2nd leg
01 Oct 2000 Rayo Vallecano v Celta Vigo L 3-0 Primera Liga 4
15 Oct 2000 Celta Vigo v Alavés D 1-1 Primera Liga 5
22 Oct 2000 Oviedo v Celta Vigo L 3-1 Primera Liga 6
26 Oct 2000 Crvena Zvezda v Celta Vigo L 1-0 UEFA Cup 2nd round 1st leg
29 Oct 2000 Celta Vigo v Valladolid W 2-1 Primera Liga 7
01 Nov 2000 Valencia v Celta Vigo L 1-0 Primera Liga 8
04 Nov 2000 Celta Vigo v Malaga W 1-0 Primera Liga 9
09 Nov 2000 Celta Vigo v Crvena Zvezda W 5-3
Agg: 5-4
UEFA Cup 2nd round 2nd leg
12 Nov 2000 Athletic Bilbao v Celta Vigo L 2-1 Primera Liga 10
19 Nov 2000 Celta Vigo v Racing Santander D 1-1 Primera Liga 11
23 Nov 2000 Shakhtar Donetsk v Celta Vigo D 0-0 UEFA Cup 3rd round 1st leg
07 Dec 2000 Celta Vigo v Shakhtar Donetsk W 1-0
Agg: 1-0
UEFA Cup 3rd round 2nd leg
10 Dec 2000 Real Madrid v Celta Vigo L 3-0 Primera Liga 14
07 Jan 2001 Celta Vigo v Las Palmas L 0-1 Primera Liga 17
14 Jan 2001 Villarreal v Celta Vigo L 2-0 Primera Liga 18
21 Jan 2001 Celta Vigo v Real Zaragoza D 1-1 Primera Liga 19
04 Feb 2001 Real Sociedad v Celta Vigo D 2-2 Primera Liga 21
18 Feb 2001 Celta Vigo v Rayo Vallecano D 1-1 Primera Liga 23
08 Mar 2001 Barcelona v Celta Vigo L 2-1 UEFA Cup Quarter-final 1st leg
11 Mar 2001 Valladolid v Celta Vigo W 1-2 Primera Liga 26
31 Mar 2001 Malaga v Celta Vigo W 1-4 Primera Liga 28
08 Apr 2001 Celta Vigo v Athletic Bilbao W 2-1 Primera Liga 29
20 May 2001 Celta Vigo v Numancia D 1-1 Primera Liga 35
23 Sep 2001 Celta Vigo v Real Mallorca D 0-0 Primera Liga 4
27 Sep 2001 Sigma Olomouc v Celta Vigo D 0-0
Agg: 0-0
UEFA Cup 1st round 2nd leg
18 Oct 2001 Celta Vigo v Slovan Liberec D 0-0 UEFA Cup 2nd round 1st leg
01 Nov 2001 Slovan Liberec v Celta Vigo D 0-0
Agg: 0-0
UEFA Cup 2nd round 2nd leg
02 Dec 2001 Celta Vigo v Villarreal D 0-0 Primera Liga 15
01 Sep 2002 Sevilla v Celta Vigo D 0-0 Primera Liga 1
19 Sep 2002 Celta Vigo v OB Odense D 0-0 UEFA Cup 1st round 1st leg
22 Sep 2002 Recreativo de Huelva v Celta Vigo D 0-0 Primera Liga 3
29 Sep 2002 Celta Vigo v Malaga D 0-0 Primera Liga 4
03 Oct 2002 OB Odense v Celta Vigo D 0-0
Agg: 0-0
UEFA Cup 1st round 2nd leg
20 Oct 2002 Celta Vigo v Rayo Vallecano D 0-0 Primera Liga 6
31 Oct 2002 Celta Vigo v Viking Stavanger D 0-0 UEFA Cup 2nd round 1st leg
24 Nov 2002 Celta Vigo v Osasuna D 0-0 Primera Liga 11
28 Nov 2002 Celtic v Celta Vigo L 1-0 UEFA Cup 3rd round 1st leg
21 Dec 2002 Celta Vigo v Villarreal D 0-0 Primera Liga 15
04 Jan 2003 Deportivo La Coruña v Celta Vigo D 0-0 Primera Liga 16
11 Jan 2003 Celta Vigo v Real Madrid D 0-0 Primera Liga 17
26 Jan 2003 Celta Vigo v Barcelona D 0-0 Primera Liga 19
02 Feb 2003 Celta Vigo v Sevilla D 0-0 Primera Liga 20
09 Mar 2003 Rayo Vallecano v Celta Vigo D 0-0 Primera Liga 25
16 Mar 2003 Atlético Madrid v Celta Vigo D 0-0 Primera Liga 26
23 Mar 2003 Celta Vigo v Athletic Bilbao D 0-0 Primera Liga 27
04 May 2003 Alavés v Celta Vigo D 0-0 Primera Liga 32


Please note: Match history is complete for the Premier and Football Leagues and (in most cases all) internationals.

International stats

Season Team Competition Apps Subs Goals Y R
1996-97 Korea Republic World Youth Cup 1
1996-97 South Africa International Friendly
1
1996-97 South Africa World Youth Cup 2
1997-98 South Africa Africa Cup of Nations 5
1
7
1
1997-98 South Africa COSAFA Cup 1
1997-98 South Africa FIFA World Cup 3
1
1997-98 South Africa International Friendly 2
3
1
1
1998-99 South Africa Africa Cup of Nations 3
2
2
1998-99 South Africa International Friendly 1
2
1999-00 South Africa Afro-Asian Cup of Nations 1
1999-00 South Africa US Nike Cup 3
1
2000-01 South Africa Africa Cup of Nations 3
1
2000-01 South Africa FIFA World Cup 2
1
1
2000-01 South Africa International Friendly 2
2000-01 South Africa Olympics 3
1
1
2001-02 South Africa Africa Cup of Nations 4
2
2001-02 South Africa FIFA World Cup 4
1
1
2001-02 South Africa International Friendly 4
1
1
2001-02 South Africa Reunification Cup 1
1
2
2002-03 South Africa International Friendly 1
1
2003-04 South Africa International Friendly 2
1
2004-05 South Africa FIFA World Cup 4
1
2
2
2004-05 South Africa International Friendly 3
2
2005-06 South Africa FIFA World Cup 1
2005-06 South Africa International Friendly 1
1
1
2007-08 South Africa Africa Cup of Nations 1
1
2007-08 South Africa International Friendly 3
2008-09 South Africa FIFA World Cup 2
2008-09 South Africa International Friendly 1
1
2009-10 South Africa International Friendly 2
1


Please note: Career stats are based on performances in the Premier and Football Leagues and (in most cases all) internationals.

International matches

Date Match Result Competition Round
04 Jun 1997 South Africa v Netherlands L 0-2 International Friendly
17 Jun 1997 Korea Republic v South Africa D 0-0 World Youth Cup Group B
19 Jun 1997 South Africa v Brazil L 0-2 World Youth Cup Group B
22 Jun 1997 South Africa v France L 2-4 World Youth Cup Group B
11 Oct 1997 France v South Africa L 2-1 International Friendly
15 Nov 1997 Germany v South Africa L 3-0 International Friendly
24 Jan 1998 Namibia v South Africa L 3-2 COSAFA Cup Qualifying round
08 Feb 1998 South Africa v Angola D 0-0 Africa Cup of Nations Group C
11 Feb 1998 South Africa v Ivory Coast D 1-1 Africa Cup of Nations Group C
16 Feb 1998 South Africa v Namibia W 4-1 Africa Cup of Nations Group C
22 Feb 1998 South Africa v Morocco W 2-1 Africa Cup of Nations Quarter-final
25 Feb 1998 South Africa v Congo DR W 2-1 Africa Cup of Nations Semi-final
28 Feb 1998 South Africa v Egypt L 0-2 Africa Cup of Nations Final
20 May 1998 South Africa v Zambia D 1-1 International Friendly
25 May 1998 Argentina v South Africa L 2-0 International Friendly
06 Jun 1998 South Africa v Iceland D 1-1 International Friendly
12 Jun 1998 France v South Africa L 3-0 FIFA World Cup Finals Group C
18 Jun 1998 South Africa v Denmark D 1-1 FIFA World Cup Finals Group C
24 Jun 1998 South Africa v Saudi Arabia D 2-2 FIFA World Cup Finals Group C
03 Oct 1998 South Africa v Angola W 1-0 Africa Cup of Nations Group 4
16 Dec 1998 South Africa v Egypt W 2-1 International Friendly
23 Jan 1999 Mauritius v South Africa D 1-1 Africa Cup of Nations Group 4
27 Feb 1999 South Africa v Gabon W 4-1 Africa Cup of Nations Group 4
10 Apr 1999 Gabon v South Africa L 1-0 Africa Cup of Nations Group 4
05 Jun 1999 South Africa v Mauritius W 2-0 Africa Cup of Nations Group 4
18 Sep 1999 South Africa v Saudi Arabia W 1-0 AFRO-ASIAN CUP OF NATIONS 1st leg
03 Jun 2000 USA v South Africa L 4-0 US NIKE CUP
07 Jun 2000 Mexico v South Africa L 4-2 US NIKE CUP
11 Jun 2000 Republic of Ireland v South Africa L 2-1 US NIKE CUP
09 Jul 2000 Zimbabwe v South Africa W 0-2 FIFA World Cup Africa group 5
14 Sep 2000 South Africa v Japan L 1-2 Olympics Finals Group D
17 Sep 2000 Brazil v South Africa W 1-3 Olympics Finals Group D
20 Sep 2000 Slovakia v South Africa L 2-1 Olympics Finals Group D
07 Oct 2000 South Africa v France D 0-0 International Friendly
16 Dec 2000 South Africa v Liberia W 2-1 Africa Cup of Nations Group 2
27 Jan 2001 South Africa v Burkina Faso W 1-0 FIFA World Cup Africa group E
24 Mar 2001 South Africa v Mauritius W 3-0 Africa Cup of Nations Group 2
25 Apr 2001 Italy v South Africa L 1-0 International Friendly
05 May 2001 South Africa v Zimbabwe W 2-1 FIFA World Cup Africa group E
17 Jun 2001 South Africa v Congo D 0-0 Africa Cup of Nations Group 2
14 Jul 2001 South Africa v Malawi W 2-0 FIFA World Cup Africa group E
15 Aug 2001 Sweden v South Africa L 3-0 International Friendly
10 Nov 2001 South Africa v Egypt W 1-0 International Friendly
15 Jan 2002 South Africa v Angola W 1-0 International Friendly
20 Jan 2002 Burkina Faso v South Africa D 0-0 Africa Cup of Nations Finals Group B
24 Jan 2002 Ghana v South Africa D 0-0 Africa Cup of Nations Finals Group B
30 Jan 2002 Morocco v South Africa W 1-3 Africa Cup of Nations Finals Group B
03 Feb 2002 Mali v South Africa L 2-0 Africa Cup of Nations Finals quarter-final
12 May 2002 South Africa v Madagascar W 1-0 International Friendly
20 May 2002 South Africa v Scotland W 2-0 REUNIFICATION CUP
23 May 2002 Turkey v South Africa W 0-2 REUNIFICATION CUP
02 Jun 2002 Paraguay v South Africa D 2-2 FIFA World Cup Finals Group B
08 Jun 2002 South Africa v Slovenia W 1-0 FIFA World Cup Finals Group B
12 Jun 2002 South Africa v Spain L 2-3 FIFA World Cup Finals Group B
22 May 2003 South Africa v England L 1-2 International Friendly
15 Nov 2003 Egypt v South Africa L 2-1 International Friendly
19 Nov 2003 Tunisia v South Africa L 2-0 International Friendly
03 Jul 2004 South Africa v Burkina Faso W 2-0 FIFA World Cup Africa group 2
18 Aug 2004 Tunisia v South Africa W 0-2 International Friendly
05 Sep 2004 Congo DR v South Africa L 1-0 FIFA World Cup Africa group 2
10 Oct 2004 Uganda v South Africa W 0-1 FIFA World Cup Africa group 2
17 Nov 2004 South Africa v Nigeria W 2-1 International Friendly
09 Feb 2005 South Africa v Australia D 1-1 International Friendly
26 Mar 2005 South Africa v Uganda W 2-1 FIFA World Cup Africa group 2
04 Jun 2005 Cape Verde Islands v South Africa W 1-2 FIFA World Cup Africa group 2
17 Aug 2005 Iceland v South Africa L 4-1 International Friendly
03 Sep 2005 Burkina Faso v South Africa L 3-1 FIFA World Cup Africa group 2
07 Sep 2005 Germany v South Africa L 4-2 International Friendly
09 Sep 2007 South Africa v Zambia L 1-3 Africa Cup of Nations Group 11
12 Sep 2007 South Africa v Uruguay D 0-0 International Friendly
17 Oct 2007 Italy v South Africa L 2-0 International Friendly
17 Nov 2007 South Africa v USA L 0-1 International Friendly
19 Aug 2008 Australia v South Africa D 2-2 International Friendly
06 Sep 2008 South Africa v Nigeria L 0-1 FIFA World Cup Africa 1st round group 4
11 Oct 2008 Equatorial Guinea v South Africa W 0-1 FIFA World Cup Africa 1st round group 4
14 Nov 2009 South Africa v Japan D 0-0 International Friendly
17 Nov 2009 South Africa v Jamaica D 0-0 International Friendly
27 May 2010 South Africa v Colombia W 2-1 International Friendly


Please note: Match history is complete for the Premier and Football Leagues and (in most cases all) internationals.